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The Chicago Bears’ long-running search for a new stadium has taken yet another unexpected turn. While the franchise has growing interest in shifting to Indiana, Illinois officials have not given up on their attempt to keep the Bears in Illinois.
Although Illinois already has several site options on the table, State Representative Curtis Tarver II has introduced a new proposal aimed at keeping the Bears in the state as they weigh their decision.
The proposed land, which is over 300 acres, is situated along Lake Michigan, north of the future Quantum and Microelectronics Park, which is being built on part of the former U.S. Steel site.
“You hear people talking about lakefront property. This is lakefront property,” Tarver said, per Fox 32 Chicago. “There are no issues because it’s private property as opposed to publicly owned property.”
Tarver also discussed why his pitch might not be generating as much attention as alternative sites.
“Because it’s on the South Side, quite honestly,” said Tarver, per Fox 32 Chicago. “Imagine what a stadium down this way would do. The jobs it creates for the neighborhood, the retail – I mean, it’s a no-brainer.”
Meanwhile, Tarver still believes that this proposal is very much in contention among the other possible areas the Bears have looked at, especially Hammond, Indiana.
“There’s nothing signed and sealed in Indiana,” Tarver added. “There’s nothing signed and sealed in Arlington Heights either. So until an actual deal is done, I think we are in play.”
While the Bears have not reached a final relocation decision, they have a wide array of options.
However, the final decision hinges on which site best accommodates the demands of Bears CEO Kevin Warren.
Bears CEO makes his demands clear for any possible relocation
During the Talking Football with Kevin Warren event on 16 July in Lake Forest, Bears President/CEO Kevin Warren opened up about what his demands are for selecting a location for the Bears’ new stadium.
“I think we’ve been very clear: I mean, always, you have to have property tax certainty. The numbers are too big if you don’t have it, and it’s too uncertain,” Warren told interviewer David Sweet. “You have to have a commitment from an infrastructure dollar standpoint. You have to have a really good partner because, regardless of where you build, there are always going to be complications.”
This was the first time that Warren had spoken publicly since June 4, when he and the team’s board of directors had voted to advance a stadium development project in Hammond. Warren mentioned that the Bears were doing their “due diligence” regarding the possible move to Indiana, but did not offer any specifics.
Warren’s requests for a property tax break have been well known ever since the team purchased the 326-acre Arlington Park property in 2023.
That being said, where should the Bears build their new home? Share your thoughts in the comments!
